The present invention relates to a bed frames, and, more particularly, to protective members that can be readily assembled to certain components of a bed frame.
In general, bed frames are comprised of a pair of side rails and a plurality of cross members that span between the side rails in order to assembly and complete the bed frame structure. The side rails are normally L-shaped angle irons that have a vertical leg forming the exterior of the bed frame and a horizontal leg that extends inwardly with respect to the bed frame at the lower extremity of the vertical leg. In addition, there is also normally a center rail affixed to the cross members and which parallels the two side rails and is generally centered between those side rails. The center rail can be made up of two L-shaped angle irons that are attached together back to back such that there is a double thickness downwardly directed vertical leg and two coplanar horizontal legs that form an upper, planar surface that is double the width of an individual angle iron horizontal leg.
One of the difficulties with such bed frame construction is, however, that the exterior surface that is the visible to the user and other persons is simply the exterior vertical leg of the side rails and that does not present a particular pleasing appearance. In addition to the appearance, there are generally sharp edges on that external vertical leg and which can be encountered by the shins or legs of the persons and cause injury and even the flat vertical surfaces themselves of the side rails are hazardous, being comprised of iron, and therefore very unforgiving if encountered or struck by a person. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a means of improving the exterior appearance of the side rails as well as to lessen the potential injury occasioned by a person hitting that external vertical leg or planar surfaces of the side rails.
In addition, since these side rails are of an iron material having sharp edges, there is a danger to inanimate objects, such as when moving the bed frame of a completed bed, there is always a possibility of damaging walls, other furniture and the like by running the bed frame into such objects. Lastly, with the aforedescribed sharp edges, there is a distinct likelihood of tearing the material used in the box spring when the box spring is added to the bed frame or removed therefrom.
One type of protective member is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,212 of Feld and which utilizes a protective member comprised of a compressible material that is shaped into a specific configuration to shield the steel rail from causing injury caused by the impact of the steel side rail by a person. The particular protective member of Feld, however, requires a cushion material having a certain predetermined cross section all along the length of the side rail and is a fairly difficult component to produce with the necessary tolerances, particularly with the protective member constructed of the resilient material having varying thickness and its assembly to the particular bed frame component would not be particularly secure. In addition, the use of a resilient, relatively thick material requires a considerable amount of material in making up the protective member of Feld.
There is a further problem, however, with respect to the center rail. Its construction and its location is less of an issue as to being inadvertently encountered by a person and thereby cause injury as it is in having the height of the upper planar horizontal surface correctly and horizontally aligned with respect to the cross members. In the assembly of a bed frame, the cross members are normally each made up of two cross pieces that are normally pivotally affixed to the side rails at or generally near the ends thereof and that ability to pivot provides considerable convenience in the storage and shipping of a bed frame. In the assembly of the bed frame on site, the cross pieces are rotated to a position generally at right angles to the side rails and the oppositely, inwardly directed cross pieces are affixed together in an overlapping relationship to form a cross member and creating a double thickness of the horizontal legs of the L-shaped angle irons of the cross members at the vicinity of the center of the bed frame.
The center rail is thereafter affixed to that double layer of horizontal legs of the cross members and the upper surface of the center rail abuts against the lower surface of the double layered interconnection between opposite cross pieces. As can thus be understood, the upper surface of the center rail is two thicknesses of a leg of an angle iron below the upper surface of the junction between opposite cross pieces. Since that different of two thicknesses occurs at a junction between the center rail and the cross members, it is readily apparent to the user and causes concern, not only visually to the user but physically as the box spring is added to the bed frame. It is patently obvious that the box spring will be seating on one surface, i.e the upper surface of the center rail and another surface, i.e. the upper surface of the cross members and that there is a difference of two thicknesses of a leg of the angle iron between those supporting surfaces. Thus, there is a concern by the user that the box spring will be bowed or in some way damaged by being supported by surfaces that are separated by that distance.
The result is, obviously, that there is a slight downward bow to the box spring as it sits on the cross members and the center rail separated by a fairly significant distance and which bowing is not conducive to the integrity and support of the box spring and can cause damage to that box spring.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a bed frame assembly that includes a convenient and easy means of bringing the surface of the center beam up to approximately the surface of the cross members so that the box spring will not be subjected to the bowing effect and the user will be comfortable placing the box spring on those surfaces in assembling the bed.